Newfoundland and labrador - Miscellaneous

We went to Canada a few times - first time to Vancouver on our way to Alaska, and 2nd time at  Banff, and Jasper National Park and Calgary, Alberta, and the 3rd time the eastern most province of Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador visiting Gros Morne and Tera Nova National Parks.

Despite the fact that visiting Canada does not feel like going abroad, there are some interesting differences between Newfoundland and Texas:

1) Street signs are placed 100 yard before an intersection - no sign at the intersection! I missed turns a few time because of this.

2) Trash basket instead of trash can. We observed that there were big baskets (wooden boxes) in front of every house in a small town we passed by. We wonder what they were and eventually figured out that they were trash "can"

3) Newfoundland people has strong accent - most people's ancestors were from Southern Scotland  - per my boat tour guide.

Newfoundland was rainy and/or cloudy 3/4 of time. It rained so much - the main high way through the park collapsed at several locations due to rain during our visit there. 

Many gas stations are still on honor code - fill the tank first pay later - like what we were 20 years ago in USA. Our kayaking group mates - two Canadians  - were very proud of this and teased us on that we had to pay first before filling the tank.

Gros Morne Discover Center

Collapsed high way due to rain

pay attention to the base of power line post - basket of rocks is used to stabilize the post in strong wind

It is still fill tank first pay later

The newfoundland is so large - north point to south point is over 1000km! Travel by air is preferred. Due to low population density, one has to take tiny airplanes for air travel there.

Small regional airplane

Nicholas had to lower his head in order to walk on the airplane

Due to the frequent rainy/cloudy days, red seems to be favorite colors there. The ubiquitous red chairs are prominently placed in Gros Morne. We saw red-roof cabins there more frequently than any other place we visited.

Red chair at Gros Morne 

Red roof cabin by the baty

National park's van

a red roof cabin near a light house

The resort cabins are  prefabricated matchbox! But the inside was decent, especially the cabin we stayed at Tera Nova. It was cozy. It rained a lot when we were at Tera Nova. The cozy cabin was a good place to have "home-cooked" dinner, take a hot shower and read books!

Inside of a "resort" cabin at Gros Morne

Cabin at Tera Nova

Bed room felt rustic

interesting signs on the wall

reading a book in a cold rainy night

Restaurants at Newfoundland we visited were typically small with OK food. But we got what we paid for. We went to a expensive restaurant  - have to wait and the food was good but the serving portion was small. 

decoration in a restaurant 

A restaurant inside Tera Nova 

Fisherman showing off his lobster

Rocky harbor is the center for tourists visiting Gros Monre National Park, it looks pretty ordinary most of the time. But on this sunny evening, it looked gorgeous and poetic under the setting Sun. 

Sunset at Rocky Harbor

Street light at Rocky Harbor, Gros Morne

Newfoundland and Labrador - flowers, plants, birds and animals

Green mountains, ember tablelands rocks, white clouds and blue sky dominated our view during our Canada trip. Small colorful wild flowers, pink, white, yellow, blue, purple, bright yellow dotted the vast landscape here and there and they brought variation, change and freshness to the vista. The dark red flower is Sarracenia purpurea, i.e. turtle socks, or side-saddle flower, it is carnivorous. The remnants of withered pine trees, lifeless and grey, postured and they attracted attentions as well.

a common flowers in Canada, remember seeing at BanfF 

white flowers

dandelion

wild flow at Gros Moron

Sarracenia purpurea, i.e. turtle socks, or side-saddle flower

The skeleton of a whale,   sea gulls - single or couple, sparrow, some sea birds, these were lives I saw. There must fishes in the water which I could not see. 

Newfound lands claim to have highest density of mooses in the world; black bears are native to the area as well, and we saw none on the trails. The first day at Gros Morne, it was cloudy and then rainy, not a best day - as we drove up a hill on the way to our cabin in the afternoon, we saw a cow (female) moose by the roadside and staring at our car, it walked along the road a bit, and looked at us again and then start running ! On the day 4 at Gros Morne, in the afternoon, for this stretch of highway, there happened to have no other cars except ours, a black bear crossed highway leisurely in front our car, I slowed down and stopped the car and let it take its time.

Colorful wild flowers, birds, moose, bear and even dead pine trees brought surprise, unexpected excitement, or beauty,  made a planned trip more like an exploration, and more fun.  

West Brook Pond - connected to glacier former Canyon

A pine tree remnant at the mouth of wet brook river 

skeleton of a whale

sea gull

sparrow carrying 

A couple

another couple

cow moose

a black bear crossing highway

Tera Nova - Whale, Bald Eagle and Icebergs

Tera Nova National Park of Canada  looks and feels very similar to Acadia National Park at Maine, but not as beautiful. The main reason we visited Tera Nova was for kayaking with whales and close up look of iceberg. It did  not disappoint. 

Kayaking in Bonavista Bay

We had a guided sea kayaking with the Inn at Happy Adventure near Happy Adventure (a town) - they have an office at the Tera Nova National Park visitor's center. The tour started late in the afternoon of the second day we were there when the sea was calmer at Bonavista Bay. 

It was cloudy and cold. We put on jackets, gloves - we are prepared for the weather -  and took a quick instruction from our guide Chris, and we were on the water in a short time.  Lily and Nicholas on one tandem, a pair of ladies on another tandem and I paddled with Chris.  

on the deck

There was light wind, and the water was calm. We paddled along the shoreline to the Dungeon, a sea cave by the shoreline.

The shoreline is rocky and picturesque; the water is clear and looks green when closer to the shore.

Chris and I were quickly pulled ahead and we paused for the other two kayaks to catch up. We chat a bit  - Chris was a college student majoring in neuroscience at a University at St. John's, he has been a tour a guide with the Inn for 4 years - since he graduated fro high school; I told him about our kayaking experience. 

paddle in the Bonavista Bay

Rocky Shoreline and Clear green water

Chris and I had a good time

In addition to the beautiful coastline, there were 3 highlights during this tour.

While Chris and I were in the front of pack, I spotted a orange color big "cat" - a red fox - on the shore. No one else really saw it!! But it was confirmed by the captain of a passing boat.

a blurred picture of Red Fox on the shore

The second highlight was paddling into the dungeon - which has a water fall at its entrance. It was quite some excitement to the group for paddling pass the water curtain and turn around in the dungeon. Chris and I paddled in first and parked the kayak in the dungeon on one side. It was very dark inside and I could see the inside only when taking pictures with flash light. With flash lights, it was revealed a very rugged sea cave - and the rocks are colorful - black and pink.

Lily and Nicholas paddled in and and it took them some efforts to turn around in the dungeon and paddled out. Similarly to the other group.

As we were on the return trip, I spotted a whale in the middle of the bay and Chris affirmed us that it was a Minky whale. We paddled toward the center of the bay and hoping to see it coming back up. But it swam back to sea.

the Dungeon

paddle in the 100 yard deep dungeon

Minky Whale

Icebergs

We stayed on the land the day after kayaking and went on the boat tour in two days. We, along with our guide Harvey and 6 other tourists, rode a motor boat speeding into the ocean in a gorgeous, sunny day. Blue sky, scattered white clouds made everything so much more beautiful, rocky hills and peninsulas on the shore, beautiful islands in the bay. The first treat of the tour was to see bald eagles and their newly born eaglets - only see one bald eagle perched in the nest high on top of a tree by the shore, papa eagle went for food hunting and the eaglets were block from the view.

To tell the truth, I was really disappointed the first time we spotted icebergs from afar - they looked so tiny, not the magnificent mass I imagined.  But what can look large in the vast ocean?

When we got close to icebergs, we encountered 4 of them, by the boat, we were excited and in awe. The icebergs are all pretty large at least a few times the size of the motor boat we were in, the largest one must be at least two story tall. Remember that we only saw the tip of the icebergs, 90% of the mass were under water!

Depending on the viewpoint angles, the iceberg can look femininely elegant or masculine imposing.

Bald eagles, icebergs, an island with tens of thousands of puffins,  arches in the sea, quiet and beautiful coves by the bay - wonders of nature - They made a marvelous day for me!

A bald eagle perched at the nest

Iceberg 1

Iceberg 2

Iceberg 3

puffin island

puffins in the sky

arches in the sea

a cove by the bay